Starting the Week ...

Monday:  First day of Physical Therapy on my knee ... better relax - go to check out the Diva's Weekly Challenge #226 with guest blogger, Katie Crommett CZT from Massachusetts, and her theme is "simplicity"... A manageable size ; two to three tangles max; know when you've done enough; and it's ok to leave white space.

Before starting I also took a peek at Joey's Monotangle Challenge # 6 - F - Florez (not to be confused with Florz) 

Now what could be simpler than completing two challenges with one tile??
I chose 3.5 white square and a #2 Micron pen (only one size for this tile); one tangle - Florez - can't get much simpler; and no shading either - know when enough is enough! 

 It only took a short time to complete (one cup of tea worth), but I forgot about my knee and relaxed .... then it happened - phone rang - PT canceled!  Woo Hoo - more time to tangle ...

I hopped over to Suzy Mosh's Weekly Challenges to see what else I should be doing ... 

For Tangle Me 3 - Week 4 - the focus is Ixorus.  I have really wanted to try the technique of Zentwining by Lynn Mead of a tanglersmind.com.  I thought, what better way to try this technique than with one tangle in three different ways ... 

(I am liking the scroll look for the outside edge string - I was inspired by a similar one on someone's tile posted in a group on FB but can't remember which one to give them credit!)  Now I think Zentwining needs a larger space than 3.5" square; and the Ixorus looked a little squished, so I tried again ... this time I used the entire tile surface for the three variations.  The pattern at the top two sections is the original pattern; the two on the right, with the Opus-like "arms" are using wider "arms, and a triangle for the beginning shape and auras; and the other variation - on the left - uses a #8 pen to give wider lines, and three open humps for the pattern and auras.  A little shading where the auras meet adds depth.  I think this one shows the pattern better ...

I will need to try the Zentwining technique on a different project...

That's New To Me is becoming one of my favorite weekly challenges (along with Tangle Me 3).  This week the focus is on W, and the Artist Focus - Erin Olson (who has her own challenge - Zendala Dare - I do not participate in these, yet!).  Erin has created eight interesting patterns - I chose to use her Phystyl (horizontally across top of tile - embellished a bit with little circles, just because), which reminds me of Pokeleaf (one of my favorites).  The W patterns I used are Wub (which gave me the chance to work on shading to create "rounded tubes" as I call them, in the ribbon down the left side); Worts and Wobbles with Wiffles (the bottom ribbon); and Worms (down the right side ribbon).  All of these patterns were ... NEW TO ME.  The background I am calling Window Panes - but it is really Florz with a touch of color.  I also used three different intensities of shading on this piece ... Can you see the difference?